Curtain call

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — The chill in the air and the allure of the holidays are a preamble to the coming winter. But it was autumn that evinced a graceful curtain call at the Sullivan West Fall Sports Awards Presentation on November 19. Following welcoming remarks from assistant principal Scott Haberli, athletic director Dave Franskevicz thanked the community for the recent passage of the referendum that will allow Bulldog softball, baseball and soccer players to compete on new fields that will grace the campus. Other facilities will be updated as well. Franskevicz praised the fall teams and in particular those that had made it to postseason competition. These included the boys and girls soccer teams, the boys and girls cross-country teams and the football team. Franskevicz praised senior harrier Reed Scott who, after placing fourth in Section 9, qualified for states where he placed 10th and was then selected to run among the region’s elite at the Federation Championship on November 17. Coaches called their teams to the stage and summed up the successes of the season before presenting their awards. This year’s winners included the following athletes.

In girls cross country, Kelsey Dutton was named Most Valuable Runner. Dutton, a sophomore who finished sixth in Section 9 and 52nd at states, was 27th among the sophomore girls at the Footlocker Northeast Regionals at Van Cortlandt Park on November 24. Senior Dani Myers received the girls cross-country Coaches Award. She placed 21st among senior girls at Footlocker. Myers was fifth in Section 9 and competed in her third state cross-coutnry meet. In boys cross-country Reed Scott was the Most Valuable Runner. This past weekend Scott placed sixth among the senior boys at the Footlocker Northeast Regional held in Van Cortlandt Park. Chris Scott was named the Most Improved Runner. Other Sullivan West runners who competed at Footlocker included Scott Haberli, who was 50th among senior boys; Travis Roeder, who placed 106 among junior boys; Dale Mercado, who was 77th among sophomore boys; Courtney Meyerer, who was 20th among freshmen girls; and Corinne VanWagner, who was 29th among freshman girls. For the girls soccer team, which made sectionals for the first time in three years, Marianne Durkin was named Miss Soccer 2012, while senior teammate Cassidy Sauer was honored with the Coaches Award. In volleyball, it was Karalii Rabii who was dubbed Miss Volleyball 2012. Erika Stauch was accorded The Most Valuable Player. The boys soccer team achieved its three main objectives of playing competitively against Burke (they lost 2-1), beating Liberty and making sectionals. Gregory Stevenson won the Coaches Award, while Richard Lander was named the Offensive Player of the Year. For the football team, which ended its season at 6-3 after making it to the playoffs again, the awards went to seniors Scott Erdman as the Outstanding Lineman of the Year and to Sawyer Erlwein who was the Outstanding Back. Both players, along with fellow seniors Brad Hemmer and Scott Herbert, were selected to play in the Section 9 Exceptional Seniors All-Star Game. Herbert had to miss the game due to an injured shoulder. Hemmer was the leading receiver for the American squad. Erlwein and Erdman played outstanding defense. During the season, Erdman recorded 97 tackles, averaging nearly 11 per game. He had two sacks and two fumble recoveries. Erlwein was the team’s leading tackler with 98 tackles. He recorded four sacks. He was also the team’s leading scorer with 62 points that included 10 TDs and a two-point conversion. He rushed 122 times for 710 yards. In passing, he was 32/74/344 yards. Varsity football coach Ron Bauer praised Erlwein’s hustle as he constantly led the team in 40-yard sprints with consistent times under five seconds. At the Nike New York Cross-Country Regionals, held at Bowdoin Park this past weekend, Eldred’s Alex Campanella finished 27th in 16:37.6.

Visit www.sportsinsightsny.com[1] for more details about the achievements of Sullivan West fall teams and individual athletes.